After spending a couple of relaxing days at the Dead Sea and testing how my multiple sclerosis would react in thirty percent salt water it was time to move on. There were bigger things to see in Jordan, like Petra.

I was equally excited and terrified for Petra day. I knew I was not prepared. I did not do enough research before I left home in regard to what a day in the large archeological area would involve. I simply envisioned walking through a short canyon to the Treasury, the most popular attraction, and heading back to the bus. I assumed a half mile or so on fairly flat and friendly terrain. I was wrong.

As our guide handed us a map and started explaining our day, I could feel my heart drop. We were looking at hiking a minimum of two and a half miles just to get to our lunch spot. Another two and a half miles to see the Monastery. A monstrous beauty at, of course, the top of a mountain.

https://www.ontheluce.com/a-first-timers-guide-to-petra/

Not only would the amount of ground covered be hard for me, but I had not packed the right shoes or any hiking sticks. The only thing I had to help me was my friend. A friend who had not yet fully seen the difficulties I can have with my legs. But given how far we had traveled for this adventure, I had every intention of giving it my all and seeing it all.

Our day started early to beat the crowds and the worst of the heat. We arrived in the oversized parking lot around seven in the morning. I tried to be wise from the very first steps off the bus. I would seek out the smoothest sections of the path to avoid lifting my leg higher than I needed to over the small rocks that littered the trail. I tried to take my time and not worry if my small group started to pull a little ahead or if I was in a groove walking and pulled a little ahead when they stopped.

Traveling through The Siq. The canyon floor was a mostly smooth decline with few trip hazards.

The trail to the Treasury was a slight decline. It started exposed and rocky. Once you entered the canyon there was shade from the towering rock formations above and the trail became smooth. There were no rocks to constantly be vigilant of catching my toe on, so my mind got a rest as well.

I made the first part of the walk with no issues. We spent time at the Treasury taking in the scenery and taking pictures. It was amazing to behold. From the structure itself to the camels and mules constantly passing by to the bedouins riding them, I was in awe of everything and everyone around me.

The Treasury in Petra. It is at this point most tourist turn around, but there is still so much more to see.

From The Treasury, we continued further downhill. The path was now turning into dirt and loose rocks. Given the decline, my MS stayed manageable. I only needed to mind the rocks and not catch my toe and trip. We made our way to a tent for a tea stop and discussed our next move. Directly behind us, situated on the side of the hill, were the Royal Tombs. Our guide gave us the option of staying in the shade with our refreshments or doing an additional hike to the tombs.

I was confident I would never find myself with the option of visiting Royal Tombs in Petra again, so up we went. There were dozens of steps. I took them one at a time up to the first level. I wanted to go higher but decided it would be best to save my energy. This was a hard moment for me. I wanted to see it all. Before MS I would not have hesitated to climb every single step and mountain in Petra. Now, I have to choose what I want to see and what I want to miss out on.

The Royal Tombs. I made the difficult decision to only climb the steps to the first level to save energy for the rest of the day.

The next section of the hike was also downhill, but the trail was now turning to sand. Anyone with foot drop will probably tell you that walking in sand is awful. Your foot sinks in and you either have to burn extra energy to lift it high enough to clear the sand on your next step or drag your toe through the sand and increase your risk of tripping over a hidden rock. Both options are equally exhausting. But once you reach a certain level of fatigue your only option is dragging your foot along behind you.

As the sand deepened, my heart was sinking as much as my foot in the sand. We were still heading downhill, but that only meant further I would have to go uphill to get back out. I focused on enjoying the scenery and the company of my friends, old and new.

We arrived at our lunch spot. Our guide began giving us options for what the rest of the day could look like. There were optional hikes and optional times to regroup. We were already three and a half miles into the day. I was feeling fatigued, but I was also feeling good about the rest my body was getting at our lunch break. I can get to the point of not being able to lift my foot even an inch from the ground, but after some rest, I am back to normal for a short period.

Our options were to walk the entire distance back to the visitors center or back to the Treasury. Once at the Treasury, we had the option to take a shuttle cart back to the visitors center where our bus would be waiting. The bus would have two pick-up time options. We could leave at 2:30 or 4:00. The 4 o’clock option would give us time to take on additional hikes and views.

We finished lunch at noon. Our plan was to make the nine hundred step climb to the Monastery. We were already only a few steps from the trailhead but I knew if we were going to make the climb to the top, we needed to get moving as soon as possible. All steps are treacherous for me, but these were uneven steps cut through stone over two thousand years ago. There would be high cliffs, loose rocks, and zero safety measures.

I had a lot of determination and a good friend to help me. We also had a schedule to stick to and I knew we had to get started right away. The adventure that followed is worth a post of its own. Stay tuned to find out if we made it to the top!